The Unicorn Booty Guide To America’s Hot Male Gymnasts

By now you’ve probably seen this picture of the U.S. men’s gymnastics team while they were in Rio. If not (or you’re just thirsty), feast your eyes on this:

Each one of them is a perfect 10 in sexiness! And furthermore, we have one of our strongest teams ever, with a legitimate shot at winning a team medal at the 2016 Olympics. We took home a silver in 2004, and then a bronze in 2008, but we sank to fifth in 2012. We’re hoping that this team of talented Greek gods will get us back on the podium in August.

But who ARE these guys, anyway? For all the buzz this picture has generated, most people outside of gymnastics have no clue who any of them are. So, we at Unicorn Booty have provided this quick meet-and-greet with some of America’s top male gymnasts. It’s important to note that these guys are not necessarily the ones who will be representing the good ‘ol red, white, and blue at the Olympics (that lengthy process starts with the US National Championships, in June). But with our cheat sheet, you’ll be able to root for your favorite hunk all the way from “Instagram hottie” to “Olympic champion,” should they make the team.

So let’s get started with the tattooed beauty on the far left, and work our way right.

Quick note: We also wanted to do a re-cap of the hot female gymnasts, but since many of the Olympic-level female gymnasts also tend to be lightweight competitors under 18, we felt a bit weird ogling them. Sorry, ladies!

Paul Ruggeri

Standing at a relatively tall (for a gymnast) 5′9, the Italian-American Ruggeri just missed making the London Olympics in 2012. Refocused and emboldened, he’s been a consistent force ever since, winning national medals on floor exercise, vault, and high bar, and making the 2014 and 2015 World Championship teams. He is the most heavily-tattooed member of the US national gymnastics team, although most of them remain completely covered during competition; check out his delicious Instagram page to see them all.

Chance of making the 2016 Olympics:

Solid, although he’s weak on pommel horse and the rings (two events that the US men have always struggled on).

Steve Legendre

Coming from a gymnastics family (both of his sisters were gymnasts), Legendre has been a strong national team member since 2009. He’s made the floor exercise final at four consecutive World Championships (2009-2013), although his only medal so far has been a silver, on vault. His aww-shucks smile will make your heart melt.

Chance of making the 2016 Olympics:

He was an alternate in 2012, so he’s dying to make the actual team this go around. And he’s right on the bubble as his best events (floor and vault) mirror those of other strong contenders. Also, a torn pectoral muscle hampered most of his 2014, so he needs to get back out there and prove his worth.

Brandon Wynn

Wynn basically looks like a body-building model. You could use his abs as a wash-board, and he has freakishy strong shoulders. His best event is the rings: he’s been first or second on the event at the last five National Championships. And his bronze medal in 2013 was only the second time that an American has won a World Championship medal on rings in over 100 years.

Chance of making the 2016 Olympics

While he’s had success in the all-around and on other events, Wynn would most likely be used solely as a rings specialist.

Donnell Whittenburg

At just 21, Whittenburg is one of the “next generation” gymnasts for the US, with strong showings at the most recent World Championships (a bronze on the vault, 8th in the all-around). His best event is the vault, where he’s capable of pulling off a “Dragulescu” (a front handspring into two front flips, with a half twist out). And his sly smile and easy-going demeanor make him a fan-favorite.

Chance of making the 2016 Olympics

Whittenburg is peaking at the right time, having finished second in the all-around at the 2015 Nationals. He’ll need to get a little more stellar on high bar, but otherwise, he’s a shoo-in.

Sam Mikulak

Mikulak is the adorable, boy-next-door of USA gymnastics. At just 19, Mikulak surprised even himself when he was selected for the 2012 Olympic team. He finished fifth in the Olympic vault finals after sticking a handspring double front for his second vault.

Since then, he won the last three US National all-around titles, marking him as the best gymnast in America this quadrennium. World Championship medals still elude him, though: he finished fourth on high bar and sixth in the all-around, at the 2013 World Championships. But more than being a champion, his ever-present smile, charismatic personality, and goofy dancing make him a star. Back off boys, this one is mine!

Chance of making the 2016 Olympics

So long as he stays injury-free, Mikulak is a lock for Rio.

Danell Leyva

Like Mikulak, Leyva is a veteran, having competed at the 2012 Olympics. Leyva was one of the stars of those Games, taking home a bronze medal (the only medal for the US men) in the all-around. Part of Leyva’s success can be attributed both to his lucky towel and his ridiculously cheery father, who often starts rhythmic clapping with the audience to help pump his son up. These seem to be working, as Leyva has a fighter’s courage: he took the World Champion parallel bar title in 2011 just two days after slamming his chin into the high bar in the all-around competition. Oh, and did we mention he’s been known to take a naked selfie or two?

Chance of making the 2016 Olympics

Leyva seems like a lock, although he’ll probably be called on more for his parallel bar and high bar work than as an all-arounder.

Alex Naddour

Naddour has a secret weapon that makes him invaluable to the US men’s gymnastics team. And no, it’s not his perfect smile, his massive pecs, or his killer biceps. No, his secret weapon is the pommel horse, an event where the Americans struggle. He was won the national pommel horse title four of the last five years. But sorry, ladies, Naddour is spoken for: he married fellow gymnast, Hollie Vise, earlier this year; and the took some adorable gymnastic-themed engagement photos.

Chance of making the 2016 Olympics

Being strong on America’s weakest event might guarantee Naddour a specialist spot in 2016. He was an alternate in 2012.

Jake Dalton

Dalton is another Olympic veteran, having made the London team with Mikulak and Leyva. Despite being a strong all-around gymnast, Dalton is best on the “power” events: floor exercise and vault; he’s won a World Championship medal on both. He even has a difficult tumbling pass named after him on the floor exercise: a backflip with a half twist, into a double front layout somersault. He’s goofy and adorable, and he even has a hashtag bromance with Mikulak: their #jakevssam hashtag on Twitter challenges each gymnast to stick the landing after a complex tumbling pass.

Chance of making the 2016 Olympics

Injury sidelined him in 2015, but expect him to represent the US in Rio.